The First Family of Gourmet Food

When it comes to gourmet food, the Oomerbhoy-Jaikishan combine could well lay claim to being the first families. While Chetan Jaikishan’s chocolate cravings birthed a line of premium Belgian chocolates which famously had the Belgian consul general in Mumbai coming back for more, his wife Roohi Jaiskishan is often the last resort of gastronomes seeking cured meats and ingredients which usually require a trip to Europe.

Let’s not forget that Roohi’s brother and partner Riyad Oomerbhoy is married to Farah, daughter of India’s original beer baroness Zinia Lawyer. So when the family invited a whole bunch of their friends to hob nob over nibbles of luxury cheese, the main course of the conversation was, not surprisingly, food and more food.

Family Ties

Among the exceptions was Farah Lawyer Oomerbhoy, who we forewarn you, could well turn out to be India’s answer to JK Rowling. Apparently Farah — who loves the works of CS Lewis, Enid Blyton and JRR Tolkien — is already on to the third draft of her first book, a spicy children’s fantasy novel that we’re told is Harry Potter garnished with Lord of the Rings. It’s the first of a planned trilogy and while she hates deadlines, the happy-go-lucky lady is hoping to serve it up to the publisher in the next few months. We’re told the book would have been on the shelves already had she not gotten “busy making babies”. But then again, family comes first.